1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to electronic commerce transactions.
2. Art Background
Electronic commerce is achieving widespread use. Transactions are performed everyday over the Internet and through point of sale (POS) or bank systems. Such systems are designed to maintain the integrity of the user's credit card, debit card, and account number. However, no measures are taken to ensure the privacy of the user. As the vendor retains information regarding the identity of the user, the user is open to receipt of marketing materials that may result from the data mining of transactions performed on a particular network.
Several applications supporting transactions over networks like the Internet have been developed, especially directed to the user-to-vendor relationship and to the concept of agent-assisted pricing models. Presently, applications provide direct agent negotiations and direct agent pricing between user and merchant or vendor.
However, these applications are not equipped to handle multiple merchants or vendors and real time transactions involving brokering of products or services. The above-mentioned applications lack an intelligent and automatic agent technology, which can function on behalf of a merchant or vendor to execute a referral and/or brokering negotiations resulting in performance of the transaction. Also, these applications lack a secure merchant-to-merchant brokering model that allows for exchange of information without sacrificing the privacy of the user.